Australia’s top scientists and environmentalists told us that our rivers, oceans, forests, flora and fauna were in deep trouble and no one seemed to be paying attention.
Photograph: Grant Dixon/Getty Images/Lonely Planet Images

It was a very long list.

When we first considered the idea of a new investigative series looking at Australia’s less-scrutinised environmental issues, we knew we had to speak to those on the frontline. We discussed the idea with Australia’s top scientists and environmentalists and it became clear there were many issues needing urgent attention.

They were deeply worried about our fragile environment – our rivers, oceans, forests, flora and fauna were in trouble. When we launched Our wide brown land, this list of environmental concerns seemed to grow.

Our reporting helped to shape the debate. Some of the highlights include environment reporter Lisa Cox’s work on the questionable use of government funding earmarked for threatened species, which led to the launch of a national Senate inquiry. The issue was also raised during Senate estimates and forced the environment department and government to correct its record on threatened species spending. It has led to calls from scientists, environment groups and volunteers for an overhaul of Australia’s environment laws.

Our articles on the renewal of the regional forest agreements caused a stir, and New South Wales Labor refused to sign off on the proposed extensions to the NSW RFAs because the government “knows the science underpinning the RFAs is out of date and incomplete”.

And our extensive coverage of the crisis in the Murray-Darling basin plan helped to speed up the implementation of the royal commission. The team of journalists who worked on this section of our series won a 2018 UN day media award for the promotion of climate action.

Yet clearly more work needs to be done. Only by highlighting these issues will they get the attention they deserve. So now we need to turn the spotlight on the growing climate crisis and its devastating impacts – some seen, some unfolding out of sight.

This is why we are launching a new investigative series: The Frontline: Australia and the climate emergency. And once again we need your help to support our journalism and continue to raise awareness of these issues that we know you care so deeply about. If you would like to send us an idea, email us at thefrontline@theguardian.com.